Mel Gibson

December 29, 2005 12:14 PM

Mel Gibson on evolution, women, and political conspiracy theory. It's an old interview but includes some topical issues.
posted by bobbyelliott (50 comments total)

PLAYBOY: So you can't accept that we descended from monkeys and apes?

Hi, I'm from PLAYBOY. I've got a half-assed idea of what The Theory of Evolution is, so I feel I'm the perfect "journalist" to ask Mel Gibson about it. Next up, I'll be asking Tippy Hedron about Nuclear Fission.
posted by thanotopsis at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2005

Never mind what Mel Gibson says, Caiaphas was innocent
posted by matteo at 12:22 PM on December 29, 2005

but then, Oxford professor Geza Vermes is a Jew, so, you know, he's probably unreliable and Gibson's right. or something
posted by matteo at 12:25 PM on December 29, 2005

PLAYBOY: So you can't accept that we descended from monkeys and apes?

GIBSON: No, I think it's bullshit. If it isn't, why are they still around? How come apes aren't people yet?

Mel, they have! Or have you not looked in the mirror closely enough. Though, to be fair, apes have generally avoided the Lesbian Softball-team Mullet look post 1989. So obviously Mel is a pre-ape descendant.
posted by tkchrist at 12:27 PM on December 29, 2005

This is absolutely hilarious. Thanks!
posted by hydrophonic at 12:28 PM on December 29, 2005

Wow. For the most part he just sounds really old-school conservative. I think the last part sums it all up the best:

GIBSON: (On why Clinton is president) He was a Rhodes scholar, right? Just like Bob Hawke. Do you know what a Rhodes scholar is? Cecil Rhodes established the Rhodes scholarship for those young men and women who want to strive for a new world order. Have you heard that before? George Bush? CIA? Really, it's Marxism, but it just doesn't want to call itself that. Karl had the right idea, but he was too forward about saying what it was. Get power but don't admit to it. Do it by stealth. There's a whole trend of Rhodes scholars who will be politicians around the world.

PLAYBOY: This certainly sounds like a paranoid sense of world history. You must be quite an assassination buff.

GIBSON: Oh, fuck. A lot of those guys pulled a boner. There's something to do with the Federal Reserve that Lincoln did, Kennedy did and Reagan tried. I can't remember what it was, my dad told me about it. Everyone who did this particular thing that would have fixed the economy got undone. Anyway, I'll end up dead if I keep talking shit.

You can't argue with that kind of paranoia. He sounds like his character from the Conspiracy Theory (which ironically enough, vindicates the paranoia). I have a feeling he grew up in a closed-minded home and his early success allowed him the ability to not move outside of that bubble. There was no social pressure and he could presumably surround himself with those who disagree with his viewpoints.
posted by geoff. at 12:28 PM on December 29, 2005

I note that in the link they state that they're not sure if this is a real interview. Does anyone have an old copy of this issue (purely for the literary value, of course), or did anyone read the article at the time?
posted by unreason at 12:34 PM on December 29, 2005

There is no way this is real. It is kinda funny, though.
posted by ibmcginty at 12:36 PM on December 29, 2005

Didn't we go over this at length when "Passion of the Christ" came out? I thought everyone was on the same page about Gibson being a total loon, and a complete asshole on top of it.

He is simply the premiere Anti-Semite / conspiracy-nutjob of our times. His brilliance is that he can maintain such theories about so many things and still hold down a respectable career. Typically such contemptible idiots end up living in cardboard boxes.

I suspect it's his acting skill. Just as he can transform bad dialog into something entertaining, he can say things which are overtly stupid and make it sound reasonable.
posted by y6y6y6 at 12:40 PM on December 29, 2005

I've got one of Darwin's books at home and some of that stuff is pretty damn funny.
People drugged up on coke are damn funny too.

He is simply the premiere Anti-Semite / conspiracy-nutjob of our times. His brilliance is that he can maintain such theories about so many things and still hold down a respectable career.
In "hollywoodland", I think not, knowing its beginning and the Whose that run it.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:44 PM on December 29, 2005

I searched google for some of the quotes and found this old mefi thread. Looks legit.
posted by bobo123 at 12:44 PM on December 29, 2005

July 1995.
posted by stinkycheese at 12:44 PM on December 29, 2005

Here it is - Bam!
posted by stinkycheese at 12:45 PM on December 29, 2005

Last one down on the right, avec audio (it seems).
posted by stinkycheese at 12:48 PM on December 29, 2005

“He is simply the premiere Anti-Semite / conspiracy-nutjob of our times.”- posted by y6y6y6

You’re wrong, he’s very good looking.

...Ok, not much of a refutation.

Yeah, he’s just so personable and honest it’s a shame this drivel comes out of him.
That mindset can be very seductive and comforting though. You look at problems with the Federal Reserve, you see goings on with the trilateral commission and the Bilderbergs, Skull and Bones, New World Order, etc. etc. and it’s easy to look for some enemy to resist. This way one can be a “good man” without facing/recognizing the demons inside.
The simple fact is - maybe some fantastic conspiracies are true (fantastic as opposed to the more mundane, which there are clear examples of). Maybe. Whether they are or not, we have more control over changing how we work than how the world works.
Unfortunately Mel’s reached a certain degree of success that allows him to be somewhat self-righteous.
It is recognizing this as some sort of attainment that gets in the way (camel thru the eye of a needle and all that).
He strikes me as a decent guy, but not very introspective. Which I suppose is worse than a real villian.
posted by Smedleyman at 12:56 PM on December 29, 2005

I've got one of Darwin's books at home and some of that stuff is pretty damn funny. Some of his stuff is true, like that the giraffe has a long neck so it can reach the leaves.

he hasn't read a thing. i wonder what his holocaust film will be like?
posted by destro at 12:58 PM on December 29, 2005

He doesn't know the difference between Darwin and Lamarck. I wish Creationists would read more.
posted by bardic at 12:59 PM on December 29, 2005

"GIBSON: I had a female business partner once. Didn't work.

PLAYBOY: Why not?

GIBSON: She was a cunt."

What's so strange about that?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:03 PM on December 29, 2005

I was disgusted to hear one of the guys from this site on the CBC a few nights ago, talking about how Schwarzenegger had gone all soft and liberal & it was time to get a real Republican in office in California.

I don't know why that would merit time on Canada's national broadcaster...unless it was in the spirit of 'make fun of the stupid Americans', which it didn't really seem to be. Anyways, I'm bored at work and, uh, yeah...so...Governor Mel? Maybe he'll throw spears through people or something.
posted by stinkycheese at 1:41 PM on December 29, 2005

How come apes aren't people yet?

You have to love it when ignorant morons reveal just how ignorant and moronic they are. Gibson is such a fucking tool.
posted by Decani at 1:52 PM on December 29, 2005

we descended from monkeys and apes?

I know it's been said a bit differently up above, but this is where the whole creationism vs. evolution "debate" breaks down. The people advocating creationism simply don't fucking understand evolution.
posted by Tommy Gnosis at 2:08 PM on December 29, 2005

GIBSON: Women are just different. Their sensibilities are different.

PLAYBOY: Any examples?

GIBSON: I had a female business partner once. Didn't work.

PLAYBOY: Why not?

GIBSON: She was a cunt.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day.
posted by delmoi at 2:15 PM on December 29, 2005

Gibson is actually devolved from monkeys, who would never be so publicly foolish as he.
posted by maxsparber at 2:16 PM on December 29, 2005

There's something to do with the Federal Reserve that Lincoln did, Kennedy did and Reagan tried. I can't remember what it was, my dad told me about it. Everyone who did this particular thing that would have fixed the economy got undone. Anyway, I'll end up dead if I keep talking shit..

That is just comedy gold. You can't make that shit up. Uh there's this thing that these guys did, I don't remember what it was or even who it was, but my addled, holocaust denying, reactionary father told me, so it's true. QED.

What's the difference between Mel and the crazy guy on the Subway who sits down next to me spouting pretty much the same bullshit? A couple of Oscars and about $10 billion dollars?

I think Mel Gibson pretty much balances out a Jeneane Garofalo, a Sean Penn and two Tim Robbinses.
posted by Tommy Gnosis at 2:25 PM on December 29, 2005

How come apes aren't people yet?

And more importantly, how come all the world's butter hasn't evolved into garlic butter?
posted by furtive at 2:31 PM on December 29, 2005

Why, because garlic butter is intelligently designed of course.
posted by boaz at 2:36 PM on December 29, 2005

GIBSON: She was a cunt.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day.
posted by delmoi at 5:15 PM EST on December 29

Huh. It didn't even make me crack a smile. Guess like a lot of cunts I am completely humorless.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 2:54 PM on December 29, 2005 [1 favorite]

Perhaps Mel Gibson unlike the rest of us didn't evolve from apes, but something quite different, alien or insectiod?
Hmmmm....
posted by Elim at 3:21 PM on December 29, 2005

There's a whole trend of Rhodes scholars who will be politicians around the world.

ah fuck, didja know that Russ Feingold was a Rhodes Scholar?
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 3:31 PM on December 29, 2005

PLAYBOY: So you can't accept that we descended from monkeys and apes?
Alas, if only some of the people who asked idiots about Evolution weren't idiots themselves...

Elim: I know it's unlikely, but I'm thinking cow manure. Well, he talks like he's full of bullshit anyway...
posted by kaemaril at 3:33 PM on December 29, 2005

It's an old interview but hey, we can pretend it happened yesterday anyway.

A clue, as comment 1 attempted to indicate: Mel is an artist, not a scientist.

The dominant demographic here seems to be 20 - 30 something, literal-minded lefty but really: poor old movie-makin' Mel is actually a pre-ape descendant, old school conservative, paranoid, total loon, asshole, premiere Anti-Semite / conspiracy-nutjob of our times, contemptible idiot, ignorant moron, fucking tool, and is devolved from monkeys (but possibly thinks he's descended from either aliens or insectoids)?

What a unique and fascinating individual, I really must learn more about this guy, er entity... wow.
posted by scheptech at 4:13 PM on December 29, 2005

scheptech: I'm not a scientist or an artist, but even I know that that Playboy interviewer asked a stupid question and got back a really stupid answer :)
posted by kaemaril at 4:46 PM on December 29, 2005

It's going to be a musical.
posted by bardic at 5:34 PM on December 29, 2005

An animated musical.

In 3D.
posted by maryh at 5:46 PM on December 29, 2005

In Aramaic.
posted by maxsparber at 6:31 PM on December 29, 2005

done by midgits ala' "Terror of Tinytown"

hmmm... I actually might see that.
posted by Elim at 7:03 PM on December 29, 2005

i wonder what his holocaust film will be like?

With any luck the ol' girl upstairs won't miss this time.
posted by Zinger at 7:06 PM on December 29, 2005

I am so happy to seee "Terror of Tinytown" referenced again on this site.

They were, by the way, Jed Buell's Midgets.
posted by maxsparber at 7:23 PM on December 29, 2005

Zinger: That really is quite amusing, but I can't help from thinking the problem probably comes from being tied to a friggin' lightning pole on top of a mountain. It would be nice though if it was the Christian God trying to send a message.
posted by Citizen Premier at 10:10 PM on December 29, 2005

So, I wasn't convinced that this was legit, even with the link proving that Gibson was interview by playboy in June 1995. It's to derranged to be given a free pass. A bit of searching found this interview with the (apparently highly regarded) interviewer. He says:

I think I got very personal with Mel Gibson, and it was fascinating to me. He was talking about his father, and about evolution, and he ended up saying he doesn't believe in evolution; he's a creationist. I said what about women's rights, abortion, celibacy? And he said those aren't even issues. They were a given. There's no such thing as abortion. Those answers are what reveal something about this guy.

I'm a believer now. The interview (with the interviewer) is pretty interesting, too.
posted by jaysus chris at 1:33 AM on December 30, 2005

Oh, this is legit. I searched and searched for the full-text yesterday to no avail, but I remember reading the full interview myself. It's not like the rest of it was terribly sane either; the excerpts quoted were just the most outright offensive bits.
posted by stinkycheese at 6:17 AM on December 30, 2005

Mel is an artist, not a scientist.

Not being a scientist is no excuse for being pigshit-thick about one of the most basic and widely-discussed elements of modern science. Trying to excuse this god-awful lout on that basis is a bit like trying to excuse someone who can't do simple arithmetic on the grounds that they're not a mathematician.
posted by Decani at 7:09 AM on December 30, 2005

scheptech, I think the relevance here is that this is a man who is creating artistic works of some influence that reflect or subtly tell part of his own world view in their telling. At no point has he publically denied having many of these beliefs, nor has he spoken out against this interviewer (to my knowledge). While I think it's possible he could create some works with artistic merit, it might be worth mentioning to people who readily tell others what a great man he is that he is, in fact, an asshole.

People on MeFi doing this warning in what appears to be our native language (20 - 30 something, literal-minded lefty?) is to be expected, but the great part is you're allowed to discuss it in your own terms as well instead of just saying how obnoxious everyone else's take is.
posted by mikeh at 7:21 AM on December 30, 2005

i wonder what his holocaust film will be like?

he'll give it a happy ending: Hitler wins
posted by matteo at 7:45 AM on December 30, 2005

i wonder what his holocaust film will be like?

My prediction: somehow, he'll make it the Brits' fault.
posted by Decani at 8:02 AM on December 30, 2005

Decani : Even Gibson would not be so bold. However, I have no doubt all the SS members will have British accents.
posted by kaemaril at 8:11 AM on December 30, 2005

Can we get Mel to run for governor of California instead of making another stupid film?
posted by nofundy at 8:41 AM on December 30, 2005

Mel Gibson is no artist.
posted by maxsparber at 9:06 AM on December 30, 2005

discuss it in your own terms

Uh huh, right. Let's see how well this goes.

Mel Gibson is no artist.

So why is he not an artist? Because you disagree with his world view, you decline to call his work art because of what it says. You just don't like the guy, right? How is this any different from conservatives' view that Mapplethorpes work is not art? The only reason they say that is because of it's subject matter, what it says, it's social implications, what it 'promotes'. Same intolerance, same refusal to think about what the artist is saying, same resort to personal attack.

Any thoughts on why Mel is so phenomenally successful despite the alleged personal charactertics ascribed above? Given the content of yesteryear's Playboy (rolls eyes) interview why is he not universally hated instead?

Any thoughts on the cult of celebrity, how merely being well-known in our culture provides enormous benefits such as confering the mantle of sociological authority on people like Oprah or Dr Phil, or how having the same surname as a previous president can get one elected to the most powerful job on the planet.

Any thoughts on wealth in our society and how that provides otherwise entirely unqualified people the opportunity to 'advertise' and promote their views as in Tom Cruise.

Any thoughts on this trailer from Mel's next project Apocalypto? What's gonna happen here, will it be a straight-up slagging of another culture (Mayan apparently) or will he somehow manage to find common ground, say something positive somehow?
posted by scheptech at 12:04 PM on December 30, 2005

Well put. Let me rephrase myself: Mel Gibson is a very bad artist.
posted by maxsparber at 1:45 PM on December 30, 2005